1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of firefighting devices and, more particularly, to a hose dispenser for a fire apparatus such as a fire truck.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Connecting a fire hose between a fire truck and a water hydrant has traditionally been a time consuming and hazardous evolution. With early firefighting devices, a firefighter would typically ride on the rear deck of a moving fire apparatus, such as a truck or wagon, until a fire hydrant was located. The apparatus would stop and the firefighter would jump from the apparatus clutching one end of a folded two and one-half inch diameter hose. After wrapping the hose several times around the hydrant, the firefighter would jump back onto the apparatus. As the apparatus resumed its forward motion toward the fire, the hose in the bed of the apparatus would unroll. The entire process was moderately expedient, provided the firefighter was not injured by fire related hazards, slippery surfaces or adverse weather.
However, due to changes in equipment, coupled with health and safety concerns, the traditional method of paying hose from a fire truck became less efficient. First, both the diameter and length of supply hoses have increased, making the hoses heavier and harder to handle. Second, longer, thicker hoses occupied more space, forcing the hoses to be stacked higher on the fire truck. Lastly, federal and state safety regulations required firefighters, wearing full protective gear, to travel inside of a fire truck's passenger compartment. This combination of changes resulted in the modern method of paying hose. In the modern method, the fire truck is stopped next to an available hydrant. A fully-equipped firefighter jumps out of the fire truck's passenger compartment, runs the length of the truck to the end of the truck bed, leaps up onto the truck's rear deck, physically grabs an end of a hose located at eye level, pulls the hose away from the truck without losing his balance and falling backwards off of the rear deck, jumps from the rear deck to the ground, runs to a fire hydrant, wraps several turns of the hose around the hydrant, runs back to the truck, and steps back up into the truck's passenger compartment. Once the fireman is inside, the truck restarts and continues toward the fire. This modern method is relatively time consuming and tiring for the firefighter, who must do all of these procedures wearing full protective gear. Valuable time is wasted which could be better spent in actually fighting the fire.